Interesting oil brand comparison

[BarnieTrk]

I have no clue on how the Focus monitors oil life,
I don't know for sure how my 2015 RAM does with its nominal 10,000 mile changes,
but the oil life meter definitely changes with ambient temperatures, the amount of idling,
and trip lengths. I have seen it get close to calling for changes in 5000 (18% life left) miles as well as
indicating 46% life left at 5000 miles.
So it is much more then just miles or days.
I change it at around 5000 miles regardless, may not be necessary but it helps my peace of mind.

LouNY,

Thanks for the reply & input!

Very interesting info on your '15 RAM oil life monitoring....Hmmmm....

BarnieTrk

 

[Garandman]

As I have a Subaru 2.5 turbo - thanks!

 

[shovelmike]

Shovelmike,
Do you know how the computer determines when the oil needs changing in your '14 Focus?

I suspect it is simply by # of days or # of miles since the last oil change..... rather than with some sort of onboard oil analysis method.

BarnieTrk :2cents:

No, nothing as sophisticated as oil analysis, it monitors time idling as well as miles.

 

[RalphVa]

Too bad they didn't do fuel usage as well. Bet the lower vis oils would win out on this.

Ralph

 

[shovelmike]

The car does have the average MPG function. I used to have an Explorer Limited that would show MPG at the moment as well as average.

 

[DarkBlack]

Modern vehicles measure air mass flow and gasoline usage. Those are the 2 by far largest contributors to oil contamination. Add in that it also knows engine temperature, rpm, and other data, you can see, they have much better predictor measurements than mileage.

 

[TractorGuy]

Interesting article. I think it has long been accepted that changing oil is way more important than type or brand.

That last paragraph makes me want to at least get and oil analysis on my Mustang or maybe go ahead and replace the timing chain and guides. I have a new set in a box on the shelf. It's a 1999 GT with the 4.6 two valve engine. At 80,000 miles the timing chain started to rattle briefly on a cold start. The noise would go away within a couple seconds so I just ran it. Having more miles on the same engine in my truck that didn't have any noise prompted me to switch the Mustang to 5W20 from the 5W30 I had been running. The frequency and duration of the noise lessened with the lower viscosity oil which would seem to indicate it is flowing to the tensioners faster. The tensioners also have a ratcheting mechanism that prevents them from going back in too far as the guides wear. Apparently it caught the next latch in the ratchet because the noise completely went away around 115,000 miles. It has 118,000 miles on it now with quite a few of those track day driving. I've never run anything but Motorcraft synthetic blend in my Fords.

Our old BMW Z4 tells us how many miles left to the next oil change when you start it. It begins at 19,000 after reset. It will get changed every 5,000 like all my other vehicles. I did put Mobil 1 in it but I may switch to Castrol. The manual says BMW oil only but I had finally found where they accepted Mobile 1. Then when I changed it I noticed the oil fill cap read Castrol on it. LOL

 

[BarnieTrk]

Modern vehicles measure air mass flow and gasoline usage. Those are the 2 by far largest contributors to oil contamination. Add in that it also knows engine temperature, rpm, and other data, you can see, they have much better predictor measurements than mileage.

I agree, DarkBlack, that the ECM has the ability to "look at" those parameters, but does the 'oil monitoring system' truly look at them - use all of them- to make the determination on oil life. So my question still is: Which parameter or group of parameters or conditions (min/max operating temperature, rpm, idle time, run time, mileage, etc.) are used to determine the oil life, or does it simply track only a few of them?

BarnieTrk

 

[WilliamBos]

I agree, DarkBlack, that the ECM has the ability to "look at" those parameters, but does the 'oil monitoring system' truly look at them - use all of them- to make the determination on oil life. So my question still is: Which parameter or group of parameters or conditions (min/max operating temperature, rpm, idle time, run time, mileage, etc.) are used to determine the oil life, or does it simply track only a few of them?

BarnieTrk

It is based on miles, start/stop cycles, operating temps - best to ignore and go by a set mileage.
Back when GM had timing chain issues with the 3.6, they hard programmed the OLM to zero out at 7,500 miles.

 

[DEWFPO]

A good article about oil life. Can We Trust Oil Life Monitors? - Automotive Service Professional

DEWFPO